Energy Minister Eli Cohen Advances Israel’s Gas, Renewables, and Electricity Supply Reliability
Eli Cohen’s tenure as Israel’s Energy Minister has seen notable progress across three key areas: natural gas sector recovery, renewable energy growth, and electricity supply reliability. After years of stagnation, six new offshore gas exploration license clusters were launched between 2025 and 2026, reversing a freeze caused by regional conflicts and export approval delays. Gas consumption rose 8.5%, and government revenues from gas and oil peaked at 2.3 billion shekels in 2024. Cohen also initiated the largest gas export deal in Israel’s history, selling gas from the Leviathan field to Egypt, and established the Dayan Committee to review natural gas policy, though its final recommendations are pending.
Renewable energy production, primarily solar, reached its highest level ever in 2025 under Cohen, following reforms and government targets set since 2018. Despite this growth, renewable electricity accounted for only 17% of production in 2025, below the 20% target for that year and the 30% goal for 2030. Challenges include Israel’s population density, limited land, and lack of regional electricity grid connections. Cohen’s ministry approved temporary exemptions from betterment taxes for agro-voltaic installations and launched the “100,000 Solar Roofs” program, boosting rooftop solar installations by about 30% year-over-year. In May 2026, the ministry unveiled a national strategic plan for renewable energy through 2035.
Regarding electricity supply reliability, after a peak in power outages in 2020 due to weather and system overloads, outages declined by approximately 12% during Cohen’s term. The Electricity Authority credits this improvement to favorable weather in 2024 and significant investments in the distribution network. Cohen approved a 22 billion shekel investment plan for 2024-2030 to enhance supply reliability, doubling previous investment levels. Despite recent regional conflicts, power supply stability has not been significantly compromised. Cohen emphasized that infrastructure improvements aim to enhance quality of life for residents, not temporary visitors.
